Freddy Buache (29 December 1924 – 28 May 2019) was a prominent Swiss journalist, film critic, and historian whose contributions shaped the landscape of Swiss cinema. He served as the director of the Swiss Film Archive from 1951 until 1996, a pivotal institution dedicated to the preservation and study of cinematic works. Buache’s academic role included serving as a privatdozent at the University of Lausanne.
Born in Lausanne and raised in Villars-Mendraz, Buache’s passion for film ignited after encountering Henri Langlois at a cinema conference in 1945. This connection led to the founding of Lausanne's inaugural film club in 1946. In 1948, he collaborated with Charles Apothéloz on a stage adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre's Les Faux Nez, showcasing his early engagement with the arts.
As a journalist, Buache penned the "Cinema" column for the Nouvelle Revue de Lausanne and later for the Tribune de Lausanne, contributing significantly to film discourse in Switzerland. A key figure in the Swiss Film Archive, he helped amass an impressive collection of 65,000 films. His influence extended to the international arena, where he co-directed the Locarno International Film Festival from 1967 to 1970 and served as a jury member at the 1973 Berlin International Film Festival.
Buache was also noted for his leftist views and support of the Algerian independence movement. He shared his life with French journalist Marie-Magdeleine Brumagne until her passing in 2005. Buache left a lasting legacy in the world of cinema when he passed away at the age of 94.
